Black Gold (or cyan or magenta or yellow)

Two things.

1. Never skimp on quality (although see point 2.) I've now bought at least 3 "value" inkjet cartridges for my aging HP 940C deskjet (it might be more), and on each occasion the cartridge has been naff. The colour one I put in yesterday decided that green is the new yellow. Granted it had been on the shelf for about 4 months, but it was unopened and still had the seal across the head. Cleaned the thing via the software, cleaned it under a running tap, shook it, threw it across the floor. Still yellow is green - or rather a sickly vomit colour. Morale? Avoid cheapo's - there's just no point. Stick to HP cartridges. And so to point 2.
2. I bought the cheapo ones, because they were just that. Cheap. Relative that is to HP's own. But they don't work (for me at least). So off I trot to PC World on my way home (I know, I know - but I was desperate and it was on my way home.)
   
   £35 quid!!!!!
   
   For 19 ml!!!!
   
   That's about £1.90 per ml!!!
   
   And the chances are I'll run out of one of cyan, magenta or yellow well before teh other colours run out so I won't get my full 19ml's worth anyway!!!
   
   'Scuse me, but that's bloody ridiculous. If I'd needed a new black cartridge too I might as well have bought a new printer.
   In fact I might next time. There's nothing wrong with mine (apart from the extortionate ink costs), but it's a few years old now and according to the PC Pro mag their A listed tea making duplex printing Canon Pixma iP5300 is only 75 notes (and I bet I can find it cheaper), and their 2nd choice the 5300's little brother the 3300 is only £32!. Stupid.